University of Pittsburgh
A&SC | ULS

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

ABOUT NEH HISTORY AND LANDMARKS WORKSHOPS

Application FAQ

Where can I get an application?
Applications will be available on this website starting on December 15, 2023.

Am I eligible to apply?
Preference will be given to applicants who have not previously participated in an NEH-sponsored workshop or institute.

What needs to be included in my application?

  • complete the application form
  • a résumé or short biography with contact information for a professional reference
  • an application essay (no longer than two double-spaced pages)

Can I send mail my application?
Applications may only be submitted electronically.
If you are concerned about the safe arrival of your materials, feel free to contact Kathy Haines to check on their status.

Acceptance FAQ

If I apply, when will I hear?
Successful applicants will be notified of their selection via email April 5, 2024. You will have until April 19, 2024, to accept or decline the offer.

What paperwork will I need to send in if I accept your invitation to attend the Institute?
You will need to sign the “appointment” letter we send you which stipulates the length of the Workshop and your stipend and provide us with your current address and social security number.  We suggest you fax the information to 412-624-7447, or mail them to our address.

Stipend FAQ

How much will I receive for my stipend check?
The total amount of your stipend is $1,300, which will be mailed to you after the completion of the workshop. Please note that if you are staying in the dorms or require a parking permit, your housing and parking costs will be deducted from your stipend check.

Is the stipend taxable by the IRS?
Yes, the full amount of $1,300 is considered taxable income. You will be required to fill out a W9 and the University will send you a 1099 for tax filing purposes. The University of Pittsburgh will withhold no taxes from your check. You may wish to talk to your own tax advisor, or see IRS Publication 970. Neither the NEH nor the University of Pittsburgh can advise you on your tax situation; the IRS will know about the full amount of your stipend.

Will the amount of my stipend be enough to cover all of the costs associated with the workshop?
The stipend is intended to offset the cost of your travel, food, and lodging, not necessarily cover all of your expenses.

What happens if I can't be there for the entire workshop?
If you cannot be present for all days of the workshop, or if you have to miss a session, a pro-rated portion will be deducted from your stipend, per NEH regulations.

Can I select which week of the workshop I wish to attend?
Yes, you can let us know which week you would prefer to attend. Please let us know if you are available for either week despite your preference.

Travel FAQ

How do I get to Pittsburgh?
You are responsible for making your own travel arrangements. Below are suggestions on how to get here:

By Plane:
Pittsburgh International Airport is located 20 miles outside of Pittsburgh, about 30-40 minutes drive from the University of Pittsburgh.

From the Pittsburgh airport the least expensive way to get to Oakland is by bus. The Airport Flyer 28X leaves from outside the baggage claim area – Door 2 every 30 minutes (even Sundays) and will bring you directly to Oakland for $2.75 (exact change required). Check the Pittsburgh Regional Transit website for schedules and mobile ticketing information. Limited taxi and Uber/Lyft services are also available and tend to be a minimum of $40.00.

By Car:
From the East, take I-76 (Pennsylvania Turnpike; toll road) exit at Monroeville (exit 57), connecting onto I-376, following signs to Pittsburgh. Take exit 73B - Oakland exit, turn right at the end of the ramp.  Continue on Bates until it ends at Bouquet Street.  Turn left on Bouquet. Turn right on Forbes Avenue, which leads to the campus.

From the South, follow I-79 North to I-376 East. Take 376 through the Fort Pitt Tunnels and across the bridge to the I-376 Monroeville exit (first exit on the right). Follow 376 to the Forbes Avenue/Oakland Exit. Forbes Avenue leads into the Pitt campus.

From the North, take I-79 South to I-279 South. (You exit to the left off I-79.) Follow 279 South/Ft Pitt Bridge/Airport into the city, to the I-376 East Monroeville exit. Follow 376 to the Forbes Avenue/Oakland Exit. Forbes Avenue then leads right into the Pitt campus.

From the West, cars traveling from the west via the PA Turnpike (I-76) should take Exit 3 28 and follow I-79 South Pittsburgh to I-279 South. (You exit to the left off I-79.) Follow 279 South/Ft Pitt Bridge/Airport into the city, to the I-376 East Monroeville Exit. Follow 376 to the Forbes Avenue/Oakland Exit. Forbes Avenue then leads right into the Pitt campus.

By Train:
The Amtrak station is in downtown Pittsburgh. The train station address is 1100 Liberty Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15222.  The trains that serve this station are the Capitol Limited (Washington, DC to Pittsburgh and Chicago) and the Pennsylvanian (from New York to Philadelphia and Pittsburgh).  Check the Amtrak web site for schedule information.

By Bus:
The Greyhound bus terminal is located in downtown Pittsburgh, at 55 11th St.  It is open 24 hours per day.  Information concerning schedules can be obtained on the Greyhound web site.  Upon your arrival at the station, you should arrange to take a taxi, Uber, or Lyft to your final destination.

Megabus disembarks downtown at the Convention Center. Upon your arrival at the station, you should arrange to take a taxi, Uber, or Lyft to your final destination.

What should I bring with me?
Dress for the workshop is casual. You can expect the weather to be quite warm, although at times in the evening it may cool down (highs are typically in the 80s, lows in the 60s).  The instruction rooms/buildings tend to be cold from the A/C so we advise you to bring a light-to-medium-weight sweater/hoodie/jacket for the classroom sessions. Off-campus tours are a mixture of inside and outside, so we suggest dressing with layers. We also advise you to bring an umbrella or rain jacket, and wear comfortable, closed-toe shoes for when we tour industrial sites. Please bring a laptop, reusable water bottle, pens, paper, and other classroom implements. If you forget items, they may be purchased at the University Store, located on campus on Fifth Avenue at Thackeray Street. If you’re staying in the dorms, please note that while the rooms have kitchens, they do not have pots, pans, plates, and utensils.

Housing/Lodging FAQ

Where will I be staying during the Institute? What will it cost?
We have made arrangements for you to stay in apartment-style dorms located on the University of Pittsburgh campus, near Posvar Hall, where we will be meeting each day. All four person apartments in include two bathrooms, are furnished with a living room, dining area, and kitchen with refrigerator, dishwasher, stove and microwave. The apartments are airconditioned and include wifi.

The cost, which would be deducted from your stipend, is:

  • Single Occupant (1 person per dorm):  $192.50 per night
  • Double Occupancy (2 people per dorm):  $96.25 per person per night
  • Triple Occupancy (3 people per dorm):  $64.16 per person per night
  • Quadruple (4 people per dorm):  $43.75 per person per night

Families are not permitted to stay on campus with you, nor are pets (if you have a service animal, please let us know and we’ll let you know the procedures for registering them on campus).

Payment for housing will be deducted from the amount of your stipend. We encourage all Summer Scholars to stay at the same location to help foster a learning community. We also encourage you to room with someone to keep your costs down.

Where can I park?
On campus parking passes will be available for a fee.

If you decide not to buy a reduced rate parking pass, there is on street parking is available around Posvar Hall with pay stations that accept either credit cards or quarters for $3.00 per hour, or you can pay by downloading the ParkMobile app. Reduced fee parking is available further up Schenley Drive near Phipps Conservatory. You might also want to consider parking in the Carnegie Museum's lot.

Are accommodations available for people with disabilities?
Yes. Please make sure you let us know if you require an accessible room.

When do I need to decide if I'm staying at the dorms?
You will need to request housing via the Participant Form, which is due on April 19.

Where can I do laundry?
Laundry is available in the building for $1 per load Wash or Dry; Panther Funds are needed to use the laundry; monies can be loaded on to your room card at Panther Central. 

How can I be contacted while I'm in Pittsburgh?
There are no phones in the University Dorm rooms. You will need to use your cell phone for all calls.

Please note that in the Pittsburgh area you need to dial all ten digits (including area code) regardless of whether it is a local or long distance call.

If you need to mail something or purchase stamps, the main U.S. Post Office for Oakland is located on Bouquet Street, four blocks south of Forbes Avenue.

How do I arrange to have a roommate?
You are responsible for finding roommates (if you would like to have roommates). You can inquire for roommates with other participants using the Discord channel.

Can I bring my family and pets?
You are neither encouraged nor discouraged to bring family members with you to Pittsburgh, or to entertain them at any point during the Institute. However, they will not permitted to attend the institute nor to accompany you on any field trips and family members are not allowed to stay with you at the University dorms.

Pets are not permitted at the University dorms.

Should you want to look into alternative arrangements that would allow your family to stay with you, several hotels are also located within walking distance to on-campus activities if you prefer to not stay in on-campus lodging, including The Oaklander Hotel, Wyndham Pittsburgh University Center, Hilton Garden Inn Pittsburgh University Place, and Residence Inn Pittsburgh Oakland/University Place.

Where can I buy groceries?
Forbes Street Market is on Forbes Avenue near Bouquet Gardens. You can also travel by city bus or car to Giant Eagle Market District at 5550 Centre Avenue. Other grocery stores are also located in the area.

Where can I workout?
The weather will be quite warm in July, so there will be lots of opportunities for walking or running outside.  There are also walking trails, bike routes, and tennis courts, a pool, and public golf course at nearby Schenley Park.

Where can I attend religious services?
For information on religious services on and around campus, check out the University of Pittsburgh Association of Chaplaincies web site.  This site contains links to individual churches and organizations, including schedules for services.

What if I get sick?

CVS Minute Clinic
4610 Centre Ave., Oakland (412-683-8827)

East Liberty Family Health Care Center
6023 Harvard St., East Liberty (412-661-2802)

MedExpress Urgent Care
5201 Baum Blvd., Bloomfield (412-687-3627)
Call for other locations.

Medi-Help
1691 Washington Rd., Mt. Lebanon (412-835-6900)

UPMC Urgent Care
5231 Centre Avenue
412-623-4114

Walgreens Take Care Clinic
5956 Centre Avenue, East Liberty (412-362-6328)

The nearest hospital emergency room is:
UPMC Presbyterian
200 Lothrop St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2582
412-647-2345

How do I get around if I don't have a car?
Bussing will be provided for all field trips.

For non-Workshop related trips, visit the Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) website for more information on public transit, including schedules, mobile ticketing, and real-time tracking.

Pittsburgh, despite its hills, is a very bike friendly city. Oakland and many other neighborhoods now have dedicated bike lanes. If you don't bring a bike with you, no problem! You can now rent them through Bike Pittsburgh's bike share program POGOH. There are multiple bike stations in Oakland, including one just outside Hillman Library.

Additionally, many public transit busses will allow you to put your bike on a rack so that you can travel on the bus "with" your bike.

How much time will there be for seeing the sights?
You will have the majority of your evenings free.

What is there to do while I'm in Pittsburgh?
If you are looking for something to do, a good place to start is with the Pittsburgh City Paper website

Another place to find activities in and around the city is on the University web site.  If you visit www.coolpgh.pitt.edu/ you will be treated to a thumbnail tour of the city with lots of links to additional sites.

Check out the Pittsburgh Convention & Visitor's Bureau 2020 digital guide to the city. You can request a copy on the Visit Pittburgh web site.

Other good sites for interesting information about the city include the Student Guide to Pittsburgh web site, Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh web site, and the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh web site.

Campus FAQ

What is the University of Pittsburgh campus like?
The University of Pittsburgh is a lovely urban campus.  There are lots of open green spaces. For more information about Pitt, including maps of the campus, visit the University's website.
Please note: Pittsburgh is a green city. Recycling bins for paper, bottles, and cans are located in Posvar Hall.

How can I access the internet?
You will be given guest access to the University's wifi, which you can access anywhere on campus. Those who are staying on campus will be given directions when they check in, those who are staying elsewhere will be given directions on the Monday of the workshop.

The computer HELP Desk is staffed 24 hours a day, call 412-624-HELP for assistance.

Where will the Workshop be held?
The workshop will be held in various buildings on Pitt’s campus, including Posvar Hall, Hillman Library, and the Cathedral of Learning. Tours will also be given at various locations around Pittsburgh.

Workshop FAQ

Who are the Workshop Staff?
Information on our faculty and staff may be found here.

Where can I park at the University?
View a parking map of the University of Pittsburgh. (Be aware that the City of Pittsburgh cleans the streets and prohibits parking on one side of the street each weekday.  Always check the signs where you park to make sure you are not at odds with the schedule.  A good clue is if the parking is easy and you are only one of two or three cars parked along that street.) Do not park in handicap spaces without a handicap tag or permit; fines are steep.

On street parking is available around Hillman Library with pay stations that accept either credit cards or quarters for $3.00 per hour. Reduced fee parking is available further up Schenley Drive near Phipps Conservatory. You might also want to consider parking in the Carnegie Museum's lot. Their rates are listed here.

If you are staying in the University dorms, parking information to come.

What will our daily class schedule be like?
A preliminary agenda may be viewed here.  A final agenda will be provided on the first day of workshop. 
Breakfast will not be provided; however, you are welcome to bring coffee or a favorite beverage in a covered container to class. Coffee shops are located on the ground floor of the Cathedral of Learning, on Forbes Avenue at Atwood, and through the walk-up window at The Porch Restaurant at Schenley Drive (right across from Hillman Library).

The lunch hour is free time, except when we are on field trips.  You may use this time to eat a packed lunch, peruse the libraries or catch up on errands.  There are a large number of restaurants within walking distance of Hillman Library.
We will typically end our day around 5 p.m.

Will I need to bring a lunch every day or will it be provided?
The opening night reception and two field trip lunches will be provided; otherwise you are responsible for all of your own meals.

Arrangements for food will be made in advance for field trips. Please let us know if you have any dietary restrictions. You are welcome to bring your own food.

How much walking will be required?
A fair amount of walking will be involved during our field trips. If you have physical limitations, please let us know so that we can make arrangements to assist you.

What sort of assignments and homework will we be asked to do during the Institute?
Nominal readings may be assigned during the workshop.

Summer Scholars will also complete a final project to synthesize the content and strategies they have learned throughout the workshop. This will be explained on the Monday of the Workshop. Finished projects will be presented to the group at the end of the workshop and will be posted on the workshop website.

Should I read anything prior to attending the Workshop?
We are asking that all participants read three books in preparation for the workshop: Paul Krause’s The Battle for Homestead, Thomas Bell’s novel Out of this Furnace, and Les Standiford’s Meet You in Hell.

Will I get continuing education credit for attending the Workshop?
Prior to leaving the workshop, we'll be asking you to give us contact information for the administrator at your institution who should receive notification of your participation and the number of hours we calculate you spent in the classroom. All Summer Scholars will receive a letter at the close of the Workshop stating these credit hours.  This letter should be sufficient to prove continuing education equivalency; however, if you require further certification, please let us know.  You do not get University credit for attending the Institute. Pennsylvania teachers are eligible for Act 48 credit for the workshop.

What do I do if I have questions that don't appear on this list?
Please contact us at homesteadstrike@groups.pitt.edu